American Eskimo

Description: Don't become confused with this dog, the American Eskimo is different from an Eskimo…. This is a very elegant dog, they are completely white and they have a classic Nordic look to them. Their ears point upwards, they have a triangular face, they have curled tails, and they are double coated and thick. This breed comes in many different types: standard, miniature and toy. toy varieties are less common than the others. Their bodies are strong and compact, they have a strong, and sort of wide chest and their back is straight. The front legs should be parallel and straight and the hind legs well developed and well angled. Their eyes are slightly oval shaped, but not oblique. The tips of their ears should be slightly rounded on the top. The nose on this dog is slightly long, as is the neck that should be attached to the body gracefully. The tail should be on top of the back however it isn't very curled. The coat should be thick but the quality is more important then the quantity. There should be an obvious collar of hair around the neck. The standard size of an American Eskimo is between 38 to 48 centimeters, the miniature ones size is in between 30 to 38 centimeters and the toys should be less then 30 centimeters, the female toys should be less then 2 and a half centimeters.

Ideal owner: The American Eskimo is a great family dog because they have sweet and mild characters, they aren't fragile though, and they are small enough to be around children. If you are interested in getting an American Eskimo make sure to not go after a shy one, these types of dogs can turn out to be difficult to handle. These dogs are very intuitive but they need a firm and consistent training and education. They are very intelligent and can learn in a matter of minutes if the training is done adequately. A good dog trainer will teach this breed how to do what it needs to by making it fun. These are very active dogs both inside and outside house. They love being around colder weather and snow. This dog needs a lot of attention and time, even though it is very active and independent. And they have a tendency to become quite the barkers and nervous if they are ignored or are bored.

Growth: Obviously their size varies depending on the type of dog they are. At around eight weeks a toy should weight less then half a kilogram, a miniature between 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms, the standard ones should weigh anywhere from 3 to 4 kilograms. They reach their full mature state at the age of one year, although toys seem to mature quicker and the standard takes a little longer then the other two types. If you have gotten an American Eskimo you will need to check that it's pigmentation is in order. The nose and the eyelids should be black by the age of six weeks. They shed their puppy hair at the age of five or six months; and then normal shedding occurs with every season. Females tend to shed a lot during the third summer (so much so that they might be left with hardly any hair on occasions). Males tend to become domineering during adolescence so it is suggested to start their training at a young age.

General health: Make sure when getting an American Eskimo that it has a very good bone structure and that the breeder or vendor provides you with all the necessary paper work and certificates. This breed is has a tendency to some defects that have affected their ancestors such as cryptorchids, weak articulations, hypoglycemia (in toys), and malformations in the skull that can be seen at birth. Training one of these dogs can be a very fun activity because they really like running and playing around. Make sure to take good care of its coat and brush it a lot since shedding can be quite an ordeal during shedding season. Avoid bathing it too excessively; even though their coats are white they have a way of keeping themselves clean. After bathing make sure to dry its coat out really well.